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Mermen of Ea #2
Into the Wind
Sequel to Stealing the Wind Mermen of Ea Book Two Since learning of his merman shifter heritage, Taren has begun building a life with Ian Dunaidh among the mainland Ea. But memories of his past life still haunt him, and as the threat of war with the hostile island merfolk looms ever closer, Taren fears he will lose Ian the same way he lost his beloved centuries before. Together they sail to the Gateway Islands in search of the fabled rune stone—a weapon of great power the Ea believe will protect them—and Odhrán, the pirate rumored to possess it. After humans attack the Phantom, Taren finds himself washed up on an island, faced with a mysterious boy named Brynn who promises to lead him to Odhrán. But Taren isn’t sure if he can trust Brynn, and Odhrán is rumored to enslave Ea to protect his stronghold. Taren will have to put his life on the line to find his way back to Ian and attempt to recover the stone. Even if he does find it, his troubles are far from he and Ian are being stalked by an enemy who wants them dead at all costs.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 4, 2014
18 people are currently reading
758 people want to read
About the author
Shira Anthony
41 books427 followersShira Anthony is a complete sucker for a happily-ever-after, and rarely reads or writes a story without one. Never a fan of instalove, Shira likes to write stories about real men with real issues making real relationships work.
In her last incarnation, Shira was a professional opera singer, performing roles in such operas as “Tosca,” “Pagliacci,” and “La Traviata,” among others. Her Blue Notes Series is loosely based upon her own experiences as a professional musician.
Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 36’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.
Interested in hearing Shira sing? Here's a link to a live performance of Shira singing an aria from Puccini's "Tosca": http://www.shiraanthony.com/wp-conten...
You can subscribe to Shira's monthly newsletter for updates, free fiction, and subscriber-only contests here: http://www.shiraanthony.com/newsletter/
In her last incarnation, Shira was a professional opera singer, performing roles in such operas as “Tosca,” “Pagliacci,” and “La Traviata,” among others. Her Blue Notes Series is loosely based upon her own experiences as a professional musician.
Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 36’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.
Interested in hearing Shira sing? Here's a link to a live performance of Shira singing an aria from Puccini's "Tosca": http://www.shiraanthony.com/wp-conten...
You can subscribe to Shira's monthly newsletter for updates, free fiction, and subscriber-only contests here: http://www.shiraanthony.com/newsletter/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
September 21, 2024
4 Stars
This sequel kicks off with a bang, with Taren getting separated from Ian and the crew of the Phantom, after they are attacked on the open seas during their voyage to find and retrieve the legendary rune stone - a relic of great power which they need in their possession in order to save the Ea people (aka mermen folk) in the impending conflict.
For most of the story, Taren finds himself separated from his lover and marooned on an isolated island, where he meets and befriends the notorious pirate Odhrán, the centuries-long protector of the rune stone itself.
Odhrán is beautiful, cunning, and far older and more powerful than Taren initially imagines. He’s also intrinsically linked to Taren’s past life as Treande, making Odhrán the perfect person to guide Taren in his retrieval of the rune stone and in aiding him in further understanding pivotal moments of his former life.
It increasingly becomes apparent to Taren that, in order to truly embrace his destiny, he must first learn everything he can about his past life and the history of his Ea brethren - especially if Taren and Ian wish to achieve a different outcome for their love story than the tragic fate dealt to Treande and Owyn centuries prior.
When all is said and done, this is Taren’s story. Ian is still present, at least most of the time, and their love is still as epic as ever, but the journey of self-discovery (past, present and future) is predominantly Taren’s. I didn’t mind this one single bit because I simply adore Taren as a character and I found myself quite enthralled by all that he unveiled about his past and what that meant for his future.
It also didn’t hurt that I fell hard and fast for Odhrán. This guy was at once mysterious, powerful, and even a little scary, while also proving unwaveringly loyal to Taren/Treande, winning him major points in my book. Odhrán’s harrowing history, which was only briefly touched upon here, provided my favourite chapters of the book, truly leaving an emotional impact and solidifying him as my new favourite character.
Ultimately, I loved the way the plot unfolded in this sequel. Growing in intensity, this story is becoming quite the fantasy epic and I cannot wait to see how it all concludes for these wonderful characters.
This sequel kicks off with a bang, with Taren getting separated from Ian and the crew of the Phantom, after they are attacked on the open seas during their voyage to find and retrieve the legendary rune stone - a relic of great power which they need in their possession in order to save the Ea people (aka mermen folk) in the impending conflict.
For most of the story, Taren finds himself separated from his lover and marooned on an isolated island, where he meets and befriends the notorious pirate Odhrán, the centuries-long protector of the rune stone itself.
Odhrán is beautiful, cunning, and far older and more powerful than Taren initially imagines. He’s also intrinsically linked to Taren’s past life as Treande, making Odhrán the perfect person to guide Taren in his retrieval of the rune stone and in aiding him in further understanding pivotal moments of his former life.
It increasingly becomes apparent to Taren that, in order to truly embrace his destiny, he must first learn everything he can about his past life and the history of his Ea brethren - especially if Taren and Ian wish to achieve a different outcome for their love story than the tragic fate dealt to Treande and Owyn centuries prior.
When all is said and done, this is Taren’s story. Ian is still present, at least most of the time, and their love is still as epic as ever, but the journey of self-discovery (past, present and future) is predominantly Taren’s. I didn’t mind this one single bit because I simply adore Taren as a character and I found myself quite enthralled by all that he unveiled about his past and what that meant for his future.
It also didn’t hurt that I fell hard and fast for Odhrán. This guy was at once mysterious, powerful, and even a little scary, while also proving unwaveringly loyal to Taren/Treande, winning him major points in my book. Odhrán’s harrowing history, which was only briefly touched upon here, provided my favourite chapters of the book, truly leaving an emotional impact and solidifying him as my new favourite character.
Ultimately, I loved the way the plot unfolded in this sequel. Growing in intensity, this story is becoming quite the fantasy epic and I cannot wait to see how it all concludes for these wonderful characters.
June 9, 2015
~
Oh, hell yeah! This book was exactly what I was hoping it would be when following up where "Stealing the Wind" left off.
This book really gets down to the meat and potatoes of Taren's past life as Treande, with significantly less focus on Ian / Owyn, as Taren becomes separated from the group during an attack.
Taren:
After waking on a beach, Taren enlists the aid of a boy named Brynn to help him find the cruel pirate Odhrán, who is rumored to possess the rune stone that the mainland Ea need to help defend themselves from the island Ea.
Brynn:
One thing that this book does touch on is that the bad guy isn't always bad (sometimes they turn out to be a really old friend) and the good guys aren't always good, which has deadly repercussions for two of the more prominent characters from both books.
This read was never a dull moment for me with romance, intrigue, some shape shifting, a cool as all get out hybrid (loved him) and... Holy shit, A BABY DRAGON !!! Color me freaking *twitterpated*, bitches.
But damn you, damn you, damn you, Shira!!! Both of these books turned me into an addict, ripe for my next hit, then *end scene* and I have to wait for the next ridiculously excellent installment. Argh.
Deja vu. *Tingles 2.0* as I wait for book 3 this time...
4.5 Stars, rounding up b/c Goodreads still doesn't have half stars and 4 simply isn't enough.
Oh, hell yeah! This book was exactly what I was hoping it would be when following up where "Stealing the Wind" left off.
This book really gets down to the meat and potatoes of Taren's past life as Treande, with significantly less focus on Ian / Owyn, as Taren becomes separated from the group during an attack.
Taren:
After waking on a beach, Taren enlists the aid of a boy named Brynn to help him find the cruel pirate Odhrán, who is rumored to possess the rune stone that the mainland Ea need to help defend themselves from the island Ea.
Brynn:
One thing that this book does touch on is that the bad guy isn't always bad (sometimes they turn out to be a really old friend) and the good guys aren't always good, which has deadly repercussions for two of the more prominent characters from both books.
This read was never a dull moment for me with romance, intrigue, some shape shifting, a cool as all get out hybrid (loved him) and... Holy shit, A BABY DRAGON !!! Color me freaking *twitterpated*, bitches.
But damn you, damn you, damn you, Shira!!! Both of these books turned me into an addict, ripe for my next hit, then *end scene* and I have to wait for the next ridiculously excellent installment. Argh.
Deja vu. *Tingles 2.0* as I wait for book 3 this time...
4.5 Stars, rounding up b/c Goodreads still doesn't have half stars and 4 simply isn't enough.
July 14, 2017
The journey continues as Taren tries to find out who he really is. Is he Treande just trapped in a body? Or is he Taren but a little more? Will Ian push Taren away because of his fears? Or will he stand by his side and help him become who the goddess wants him to be? Her plan is revealed bit by bit as the past and present collide.
This series is just freaking amazing! The writing is absolutely phenomenal. I've loved every single minute of it. The side characters are interesting and I love when a new one is introduced but they're not who you think they are. Every time I think I've got something or someone figured out the author weaves another twisted tale. There's mystery, humor, murder, gore, suspense, and of course hot merman sex 😉. My favorite parts though are when Ian and Taren are intimate...not necessarily the sex but just proclaiming their love and feelings and just communicating.
And that freaking ending?!?! So glad I can jump right into book 3.
Funny thing, I'm on vacation at the beach reading this series. When the characters talk about hearing the waves crashing, smelling the ocean, feeling the spray, feeling the wind caress their skin, I can literally feel those things. I half expect to look out and see a merman tail! Wouldn't that be awesome!
This series is just freaking amazing! The writing is absolutely phenomenal. I've loved every single minute of it. The side characters are interesting and I love when a new one is introduced but they're not who you think they are. Every time I think I've got something or someone figured out the author weaves another twisted tale. There's mystery, humor, murder, gore, suspense, and of course hot merman sex 😉. My favorite parts though are when Ian and Taren are intimate...not necessarily the sex but just proclaiming their love and feelings and just communicating.
And that freaking ending?!?! So glad I can jump right into book 3.
Funny thing, I'm on vacation at the beach reading this series. When the characters talk about hearing the waves crashing, smelling the ocean, feeling the spray, feeling the wind caress their skin, I can literally feel those things. I half expect to look out and see a merman tail! Wouldn't that be awesome!
Read
January 1, 2015Sequel to Stealing the Wind
Definition of "Into the Wind": heading into the direction the wind is blowing. As any sailor knows, you can't sail directly into the wind. But the way things are going for Taren, it seems as though everywhere he turns, he's headed directly into the wind.
The second Mermen of Ea book is, as the first, focused on Taren, who has many questions about his past and his future. At Ian's side, for a short time, Taren is both happy and content. But dreams of his past life continue to haunt him, as do the memories of his time spent in the Ea prison. He has many questions, but he finds himself afraid to ask them and afraid of learning the truth of his past. Taren dreams of his life as Treande and of the rune stone, and he knows his future is bound up in both. But is he Treande, or is he his own person? The one thing Taren knows for sure is that he couldn't survive a future without Ian in it.
When the leader of the mainland Ea faction asks Ian and Taren to sail to the Gateway Islands to locate the reclusive pirate, Odhran, both men jump at the chance to put to sea. But along the way, the Phantom is attacked by human ships and Taren is separated from Ian and his crew. Taren awakens on one of the Gateway islands and meets Brynn, a beautiful young boy who claims to know Odhran. But Brynn has his secrets, just as Taren does. And when Taren finally meets Odhran, those secrets could prove fatal.
There are lots of surprises and a few new characters I think you'll enjoy in this second installment in the series. Want to read an excerpt from "Into the Wind?" You can find it here: http://www.shiraanthony.com/books/int...
The last book, Running with the Wind, is complete and is tentatively set for publication in the summer of 2015!
Definition of "Into the Wind": heading into the direction the wind is blowing. As any sailor knows, you can't sail directly into the wind. But the way things are going for Taren, it seems as though everywhere he turns, he's headed directly into the wind.
The second Mermen of Ea book is, as the first, focused on Taren, who has many questions about his past and his future. At Ian's side, for a short time, Taren is both happy and content. But dreams of his past life continue to haunt him, as do the memories of his time spent in the Ea prison. He has many questions, but he finds himself afraid to ask them and afraid of learning the truth of his past. Taren dreams of his life as Treande and of the rune stone, and he knows his future is bound up in both. But is he Treande, or is he his own person? The one thing Taren knows for sure is that he couldn't survive a future without Ian in it.
When the leader of the mainland Ea faction asks Ian and Taren to sail to the Gateway Islands to locate the reclusive pirate, Odhran, both men jump at the chance to put to sea. But along the way, the Phantom is attacked by human ships and Taren is separated from Ian and his crew. Taren awakens on one of the Gateway islands and meets Brynn, a beautiful young boy who claims to know Odhran. But Brynn has his secrets, just as Taren does. And when Taren finally meets Odhran, those secrets could prove fatal.
There are lots of surprises and a few new characters I think you'll enjoy in this second installment in the series. Want to read an excerpt from "Into the Wind?" You can find it here: http://www.shiraanthony.com/books/int...
The last book, Running with the Wind, is complete and is tentatively set for publication in the summer of 2015!
May 8, 2014
FIVE "IT'S OFFICIAL I LOVE MERMEN" STARS!!!!
For me this story was more adventure then romance, and my expectation and desire was for more romance than adventure (see a problem here). So when Taren and Ian are separated quite early in the story I was not a happy reader.
Again, I don’t want to give any of the story away so I am going to limit what I mention. During a fierce battle at sea Taren is thrown overboard and knocked unconscious. He wakes up on the island where Odran is rumored to live. Odran has the rune stone Taren and the other mainland Ea need to protect themselves. And so Taren’s journey begins…Now this is where i find my patience running out, I honestly didn’t like the fact that Ian and Taren were separated for so long. Now was this middle part entertaining and filled with adventure, and was there important stuff to the story happening? Well, yes actually, but because i kept waiting for the two MC’s to get back together I found myself rushing through this part. I remember posting a status update at 67% and saying “is this part necessary?”, that was my patience running out folks. And honestly, I got a few pages past this part and things started moving fast and furious. Now the next lucky person who reads this book may not feel like this at all, this middle part may be just was awesome for them as the last 35% was for me.
And I will say again IMO that Shira Anthony can write a helluva story. The story was multi-layered, the characters well thought out and the world she created fascinating! I love Taren and Ian *sigh*. These two are “soulbound”, and this idea just made my romantic heart just swoon!
What to say about the end…well there is a not a HEA because we have at least one more book to go. I will say Taren and Ian definitely get a HFN, but there is definitely lots more ahead and the story is not close to being over. And as I finished reading the last page i reached for my phone, and despite the fact it was 2 am where my BFF lives I had to text her and say “OMG OMG OMG OMG”, followed by “YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK, DO YOU HEAR ME GIRL!”
If you love, shifters, fantasy, pirates and adventure this is the story and the series for you. Now I am stuck waiting for the next book in this series. Again, more patience needed from me….oh dear…
For me this story was more adventure then romance, and my expectation and desire was for more romance than adventure (see a problem here). So when Taren and Ian are separated quite early in the story I was not a happy reader.
Again, I don’t want to give any of the story away so I am going to limit what I mention. During a fierce battle at sea Taren is thrown overboard and knocked unconscious. He wakes up on the island where Odran is rumored to live. Odran has the rune stone Taren and the other mainland Ea need to protect themselves. And so Taren’s journey begins…Now this is where i find my patience running out, I honestly didn’t like the fact that Ian and Taren were separated for so long. Now was this middle part entertaining and filled with adventure, and was there important stuff to the story happening? Well, yes actually, but because i kept waiting for the two MC’s to get back together I found myself rushing through this part. I remember posting a status update at 67% and saying “is this part necessary?”, that was my patience running out folks. And honestly, I got a few pages past this part and things started moving fast and furious. Now the next lucky person who reads this book may not feel like this at all, this middle part may be just was awesome for them as the last 35% was for me.
And I will say again IMO that Shira Anthony can write a helluva story. The story was multi-layered, the characters well thought out and the world she created fascinating! I love Taren and Ian *sigh*. These two are “soulbound”, and this idea just made my romantic heart just swoon!
What to say about the end…well there is a not a HEA because we have at least one more book to go. I will say Taren and Ian definitely get a HFN, but there is definitely lots more ahead and the story is not close to being over. And as I finished reading the last page i reached for my phone, and despite the fact it was 2 am where my BFF lives I had to text her and say “OMG OMG OMG OMG”, followed by “YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK, DO YOU HEAR ME GIRL!”
If you love, shifters, fantasy, pirates and adventure this is the story and the series for you. Now I am stuck waiting for the next book in this series. Again, more patience needed from me….oh dear…
September 10, 2015
4 1/2 stars!!
My heart is STILL racing as I am writing this. I literally just finished reading, and jumped immediately into this doc. Into the Wind – book 2 in the Mermen of Ea series by Shira Anthony – completely blew my mind. I requested this book to review as sort of a ‘challenge’ to myself. I had been toying with reading Stealing the Wind (book 1 of the series) for some time, but since it falls out of my normal ‘genre comfort zone’, I had been putting it off. I don’t typically read fantasy, or shifter books; so, maybe I’m the perfect person to be reviewing this...perhaps I can convince some of you to give this amazing series a try. ;)
Shira Anthony is an incredible story teller. The world and the characters that she has created in these books are truly beautiful, and her passion for her subject absolutely shines through in her work. I was entranced from the first chapter of the first book, and the energy never waned. The pace of the story is fantastic, with plenty of action, drama, romance, and many ‘edge of your seat’ moments. And, if you are at all on the fence about whether or not you think mermen can be sexy?? Leave that skepticism at the door. These guys are super sexy! Shira will leave you with ZERO doubts about that.
Into the Wind takes us deeper into the minds and hearts of our two Ea heroes, Taren and Ian, as well as introducing a new character, who everyone will no doubt find as unbelievably fascinating as I did. Odhran is the pirate captain who is thought to be in possession of the rune stone, a stone which is believed to hold great magic, and be the possible salvation of the Ea people. The rumors about the pirate are not flattering, however, leaving Ian shaken when he finds out that Taren has been taken by Odhran and his men. Taren’s time with his ‘captor’ is extremely enlightening, though, and he returns to The Phantom, and to Ian, with his new ally, and with the stone. Ian isn’t as quick to trust as Taren, which leads to some tension between the two.
There are quite a few surprises in the book – and, I obviously don’t want to give away any of the story – but, anyone who has read Stealing the Wind knows that a fight with Seria must somehow come into play here, and I will say that the battle is exciting and nerve-wracking, and that the end of the book is absolutely STUNNING and JAW-DROPPING. I. Was. Blown. Away. And, you will be too.
If you are a fan of the first book, you will love this one even more. And, if you’re thinking about giving the books a try... Do it!! You won’t be disappointed.
I can’t wait for the third book!!!!!!!
***Re-read June 2015
My heart is STILL racing as I am writing this. I literally just finished reading, and jumped immediately into this doc. Into the Wind – book 2 in the Mermen of Ea series by Shira Anthony – completely blew my mind. I requested this book to review as sort of a ‘challenge’ to myself. I had been toying with reading Stealing the Wind (book 1 of the series) for some time, but since it falls out of my normal ‘genre comfort zone’, I had been putting it off. I don’t typically read fantasy, or shifter books; so, maybe I’m the perfect person to be reviewing this...perhaps I can convince some of you to give this amazing series a try. ;)
Shira Anthony is an incredible story teller. The world and the characters that she has created in these books are truly beautiful, and her passion for her subject absolutely shines through in her work. I was entranced from the first chapter of the first book, and the energy never waned. The pace of the story is fantastic, with plenty of action, drama, romance, and many ‘edge of your seat’ moments. And, if you are at all on the fence about whether or not you think mermen can be sexy?? Leave that skepticism at the door. These guys are super sexy! Shira will leave you with ZERO doubts about that.
Into the Wind takes us deeper into the minds and hearts of our two Ea heroes, Taren and Ian, as well as introducing a new character, who everyone will no doubt find as unbelievably fascinating as I did. Odhran is the pirate captain who is thought to be in possession of the rune stone, a stone which is believed to hold great magic, and be the possible salvation of the Ea people. The rumors about the pirate are not flattering, however, leaving Ian shaken when he finds out that Taren has been taken by Odhran and his men. Taren’s time with his ‘captor’ is extremely enlightening, though, and he returns to The Phantom, and to Ian, with his new ally, and with the stone. Ian isn’t as quick to trust as Taren, which leads to some tension between the two.
There are quite a few surprises in the book – and, I obviously don’t want to give away any of the story – but, anyone who has read Stealing the Wind knows that a fight with Seria must somehow come into play here, and I will say that the battle is exciting and nerve-wracking, and that the end of the book is absolutely STUNNING and JAW-DROPPING. I. Was. Blown. Away. And, you will be too.
If you are a fan of the first book, you will love this one even more. And, if you’re thinking about giving the books a try... Do it!! You won’t be disappointed.
I can’t wait for the third book!!!!!!!
***Re-read June 2015
May 17, 2015
After my first look into Shira Anthonys world of Mermen I was eager to dive back in.
I knew from experience I was going to be taken on another thrilling adventure, I just never realised just how intense it would get.
As we jump straight into the adventure, be prepared to experience the smell of the sea and the sound of the cannons roar. Thanks to this authors talent you will feel like you are aboard the Phantom, or deep in a cold icy cave, or lying on a beach as the sun shines. No mater the scene Shira Anthony paints a vivid picture.
Meeting Odhran was almost as heartbreaking as it was fascinating. Meeting him for the first time was also one of the highlights for me. Such a well crafted story line. His story is kinda bittersweet and I'm eager to see just what is in store for him.
Meeting up with Ian and Taren was wonderful. Whether they were together or apart their love for each other always shone through.
Rider and Bastian are not left out, and I loved seeing them again.
It's hard to say more without giving away vital story lines. But rest assured if you enjoyed Stealing The Wind, you will not be disappointed in the next installment.
Be prepared for some action and adventure, twists and turns, betrayal and jealousy, and a punch I challenge anyone to see coming.
ETA Loses nothing in re reading and the punch at the end hits as hard even knowing its coming
I knew from experience I was going to be taken on another thrilling adventure, I just never realised just how intense it would get.
As we jump straight into the adventure, be prepared to experience the smell of the sea and the sound of the cannons roar. Thanks to this authors talent you will feel like you are aboard the Phantom, or deep in a cold icy cave, or lying on a beach as the sun shines. No mater the scene Shira Anthony paints a vivid picture.
Meeting Odhran was almost as heartbreaking as it was fascinating. Meeting him for the first time was also one of the highlights for me. Such a well crafted story line. His story is kinda bittersweet and I'm eager to see just what is in store for him.
Meeting up with Ian and Taren was wonderful. Whether they were together or apart their love for each other always shone through.
Rider and Bastian are not left out, and I loved seeing them again.
It's hard to say more without giving away vital story lines. But rest assured if you enjoyed Stealing The Wind, you will not be disappointed in the next installment.
Be prepared for some action and adventure, twists and turns, betrayal and jealousy, and a punch I challenge anyone to see coming.
ETA Loses nothing in re reading and the punch at the end hits as hard even knowing its coming
Want to read
August 11, 2015
I NEED it!!
July 1, 2014
Shira Anthony is back with the second installment in her Mermen of Ea series, Into The Wind. Picking up where her fist story left off, we travel with Ian and Taren as they are tasked with recovering the Rune stone that promises to be the salvation of the Ea people. A quick note here, if you have not read the first novel in this series, Stealing The Wind, then you will definitely want to do so as this installment is not best read as a standalone, but hinges much of its action on what has gone before. Also, Shira Anthony wisely places a glossary of characters at the beginning of this novel, which really helped me get right back into the flow of this series without any lingering confusion as to who the many characters were and how they intertwined. Now, back to a brief synopsis of the story before I tell you why I think this second tale was even better than the first.
After leaving for the island where the rune stone was being held, Ian’s ship is attacked and left listing in the sea. In an attempt to help battle the enemy, Taren leaps overboard, assuming his merman form, and is promptly hit in the head by an unseen force. Rescued from the water by what appears to be a young boy, Taren follows him to the pirate keep of one Odhran, the last known keeper of the rune stone. Before long, Taren is made to realize that Odhran is not whom he seems, but instead is a half-breed—-that rare form of both human and Ea and the only of his kind. Once again, Shira Anthony weaves the tale of the lost lovers Treande and Owyn into her story, as more is explained about how Taren and Ian are indeed the reincarnations of the long dead Ea lovers. This time, we are made privy to what happened to Treande after Owyn’s death and what Treande did with the run stone he had to cut from his dying lover’s heart in order to save the Ea people. But dangerous forces still pursue Taren and Ian, and there is a traitor amongst Ian’s own crew who will bring about the deaths of more than one of their friends, unleashing a sight unseen for centuries that threatens to destroy them all.
I was mesmerized by this story, captivated by the growing love between Ian and Taren and delighted by the strength that seemed to grow exponentially within Taren. Again and again, I am amazed at the Shira Anthony’s talent to develop characters who are steeped in mysticism and yet poignantly human with raw emotions and painful pasts that make them both vulnerable and yet strangely resilient. This time the story really focuses on Taren’s journey and his need to embrace the memory of Treande and his life with Owyn, if Taren is ever to be able to lead his people to safety and keep them from imprisonment and extermination at the evil hands of Seria and the Council of Ea. Ian, too, must finally realize that he cannot protect Taren from the life the goddess has set for him, and to do so will only push Taren away and poison the love they have for each other.
Again and again this story drew me in with its sweeping action, its delicious plot that was rife with interesting twists and turns, and the incredible ending which will make some wail in disbelief while thrilling at the discovery of a presence from a bygone era. An incredible story, a searing and beautiful romance, and a swashbuckling adventure all rolled into one, Into The Wind is a journey you will not want to miss!
After leaving for the island where the rune stone was being held, Ian’s ship is attacked and left listing in the sea. In an attempt to help battle the enemy, Taren leaps overboard, assuming his merman form, and is promptly hit in the head by an unseen force. Rescued from the water by what appears to be a young boy, Taren follows him to the pirate keep of one Odhran, the last known keeper of the rune stone. Before long, Taren is made to realize that Odhran is not whom he seems, but instead is a half-breed—-that rare form of both human and Ea and the only of his kind. Once again, Shira Anthony weaves the tale of the lost lovers Treande and Owyn into her story, as more is explained about how Taren and Ian are indeed the reincarnations of the long dead Ea lovers. This time, we are made privy to what happened to Treande after Owyn’s death and what Treande did with the run stone he had to cut from his dying lover’s heart in order to save the Ea people. But dangerous forces still pursue Taren and Ian, and there is a traitor amongst Ian’s own crew who will bring about the deaths of more than one of their friends, unleashing a sight unseen for centuries that threatens to destroy them all.
I was mesmerized by this story, captivated by the growing love between Ian and Taren and delighted by the strength that seemed to grow exponentially within Taren. Again and again, I am amazed at the Shira Anthony’s talent to develop characters who are steeped in mysticism and yet poignantly human with raw emotions and painful pasts that make them both vulnerable and yet strangely resilient. This time the story really focuses on Taren’s journey and his need to embrace the memory of Treande and his life with Owyn, if Taren is ever to be able to lead his people to safety and keep them from imprisonment and extermination at the evil hands of Seria and the Council of Ea. Ian, too, must finally realize that he cannot protect Taren from the life the goddess has set for him, and to do so will only push Taren away and poison the love they have for each other.
Again and again this story drew me in with its sweeping action, its delicious plot that was rife with interesting twists and turns, and the incredible ending which will make some wail in disbelief while thrilling at the discovery of a presence from a bygone era. An incredible story, a searing and beautiful romance, and a swashbuckling adventure all rolled into one, Into The Wind is a journey you will not want to miss!
May 6, 2014
It is difficult to write a review of this second book in the Mermen of Ea series without giving away too much information about the plot and characters. There is a lot of excitement, intrigue and some unexpected surprises in this book including a couple of scenes where the reader will be hard-pressed not to gasp out loud.
Shira Anthony is a masterful story teller and a tremendous writer. She writes beautiful prose that grab a reader’s attention and imagination. The character development, dialogue and hot mermen sex scenes are only paralleled by Anthony’s ability to entrench readers in a completely fictional, fantastical world that is brilliant and harsh at the same time.
What makes this book so outstanding is Anthony’s picturesque prose and wonderful character development, and that applies to not just Ian and Taren, although the two of them are compelling. In this second book, Rider and Bastian make a dramatic appearance as do some of the other important characters from book one, as well as a new character, who is a bit of an enigma, to say the least.
See my full review on the Smoocher's Voice Blog: http://www.smoochersvoice.com/2014/05...
Shira Anthony is a masterful story teller and a tremendous writer. She writes beautiful prose that grab a reader’s attention and imagination. The character development, dialogue and hot mermen sex scenes are only paralleled by Anthony’s ability to entrench readers in a completely fictional, fantastical world that is brilliant and harsh at the same time.
What makes this book so outstanding is Anthony’s picturesque prose and wonderful character development, and that applies to not just Ian and Taren, although the two of them are compelling. In this second book, Rider and Bastian make a dramatic appearance as do some of the other important characters from book one, as well as a new character, who is a bit of an enigma, to say the least.
See my full review on the Smoocher's Voice Blog: http://www.smoochersvoice.com/2014/05...
May 7, 2014
Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5
For the full review, visit http://wp.me/p220KL-2kq
My favorite of the 2 Mermen of Ea stories to day. Anthony goes deeper into Taran's past history and Ea mythology for a totally satisfying tale of undying love, sexy mermen and fate. The ending comes with an absolute stunner which sets things up for the next book in the series.
From my review: "If you love the idea of mermen or love found under the sea, if you love high adventures and pirates, or even a forever love that is found once more, this is the story for you. In fact this is the series for you. It sings with all the love and emotion this author clearly has for her subject matter and the waters the swirl around them and their fates. Start your journey with Stealing the Wind and then continue the voyage here with Into the Wind. Both are highly recommended reads from ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords."
May 26, 2014
Amazing! Awesome. Absolutely love this series. Review later.
April 10, 2015
I love the world that has been created here. It's stunning. There is such a vivid quality to the writing that I really feel connected and can easily visualize this world and the characters in it. Taren and Ian may be the reborn souls of star crossed lovers, but that doesn't mean everything is smooth sailing for them either. There are still a lot of misunderstandings and frustrations that they are dealing with.
In some ways I felt like Taren and Ian's relationship took a step back in this story as they weren't really ready to deal with each other outside of the simple life they'd been living as they recovered from the events of the first book. Now that they're back out on another quest and the stakes are high all of the insecurities and need to control the situation have sprung back up. Taren is learning to find his own feet yet Ian is constantly trying to wrap him up and protect him and it's causing a lot of friction between them.
There's a good section of the book where Taren is off on his own and while I understood the purpose of it in the book it was the one point where the story dragged a little for me despite what was going on. I got a little tired of reading about Ian's pacing and wondering what's up with Taren and hoping that he was ok. But it did force Taren to really start thinking about what he wanted and who he was outside of the reincarnated soul.
I actually really liked Odhran and am curious to really learn more about him. I suspected a number of his tricks but didn't have it all figured out and I liked that. The life he's created for himself is both awesome and sad and I loved that Taren really shakes him out of his shell even if it's not what Ian wants to see. Odhran makes Ian nervous and I'm sure there's bound to be more issues here in the future.
So this book ends on something of a cliff hanger and I'm now jonesing to read the next book. This story took a turn in the last section of the book that was completely unexpected to me. I found myself jaw dropped going WHAT??? NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! a fair bit there towards the end. The last section is definitely action packed and flew by. I really need to know what happens next because things just got interesting. ;)
In some ways I felt like Taren and Ian's relationship took a step back in this story as they weren't really ready to deal with each other outside of the simple life they'd been living as they recovered from the events of the first book. Now that they're back out on another quest and the stakes are high all of the insecurities and need to control the situation have sprung back up. Taren is learning to find his own feet yet Ian is constantly trying to wrap him up and protect him and it's causing a lot of friction between them.
There's a good section of the book where Taren is off on his own and while I understood the purpose of it in the book it was the one point where the story dragged a little for me despite what was going on. I got a little tired of reading about Ian's pacing and wondering what's up with Taren and hoping that he was ok. But it did force Taren to really start thinking about what he wanted and who he was outside of the reincarnated soul.
I actually really liked Odhran and am curious to really learn more about him. I suspected a number of his tricks but didn't have it all figured out and I liked that. The life he's created for himself is both awesome and sad and I loved that Taren really shakes him out of his shell even if it's not what Ian wants to see. Odhran makes Ian nervous and I'm sure there's bound to be more issues here in the future.
So this book ends on something of a cliff hanger and I'm now jonesing to read the next book. This story took a turn in the last section of the book that was completely unexpected to me. I found myself jaw dropped going WHAT??? NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! a fair bit there towards the end. The last section is definitely action packed and flew by. I really need to know what happens next because things just got interesting. ;)
May 31, 2014
Review: First of all, let me tell you, Into the Wind tops Stealing the Wind as a sequel, all puns intended. While Stealing the Wind is about Taren finding out about his Ea heritage, Into the Wind is about Taren finding his place among the Ea. Not only is Taren Ea, but also a reincarnated hero from 800 years ago. Tasked with recovering the same rune stone he hid in his past life, him and Ian are separated during the trip. Don’t worry, they aren’t separated for long and there’s plenty of time before and after for hot merman on merman sex. Yes! Now that Taren knows his true nature, him and Ian have sex in their mermen forms.
The climax of the book is one of the best I’ve ever read. I jumped like someone had been behind a door and startled me and it took five minutes to move forward to the very next sentence that explains the outcome. I seriously nearly threw the iPad across the room. Not only do we find out more about Taren and Ian and what is going on amongst the Ea people, the end of the book sets up what should be an amazing end to the trilogy.
For Writers: If you’re a fantasy writer, you’ll love the rich world that Shira has built. I imagine the world to be kind of a Game of Thrones world set on world of coasts and oceans. From the human towns and ports where Taren was raised to island of the merfolk, it’s an amazing world that I caught up in from the beginning.
Another study for writers is Taren’s character. As a reluctant hero, we see Taren take on the cause he seems destined to help lead. Along the way, he continues to learn not only about his past, but also his abilities as a mage among the Ea.
Great job, Shira! Looking forward to the third book in the Mermen of Ea series.
The climax of the book is one of the best I’ve ever read. I jumped like someone had been behind a door and startled me and it took five minutes to move forward to the very next sentence that explains the outcome. I seriously nearly threw the iPad across the room. Not only do we find out more about Taren and Ian and what is going on amongst the Ea people, the end of the book sets up what should be an amazing end to the trilogy.
For Writers: If you’re a fantasy writer, you’ll love the rich world that Shira has built. I imagine the world to be kind of a Game of Thrones world set on world of coasts and oceans. From the human towns and ports where Taren was raised to island of the merfolk, it’s an amazing world that I caught up in from the beginning.
Another study for writers is Taren’s character. As a reluctant hero, we see Taren take on the cause he seems destined to help lead. Along the way, he continues to learn not only about his past, but also his abilities as a mage among the Ea.
Great job, Shira! Looking forward to the third book in the Mermen of Ea series.
August 27, 2015
This is no book for the un-initiated! Though I feel you could read it as a standalone, I think you’d be confused and missing a lot!
Shira Anthony puts SO MUCH detail and description into these stories. Her most powerful weapon is her world-building. It is complete, full and gorgeous.
She is not afraid to give our guys their love story and then yank it from their feet a few times before letting them be happy, either.
From book one we know that Teran and Ian have a history far beyond this life-span. This story explores that history.
There are several new characters, Odhran being one – another pirate captain who shows Teran more about his past.
There is an epic – I mean EPIC – battle, some sadness and then some wonder.
If you are a fan of the series you won’t want to miss this installment and follow our Teran and Ian through their adventures.
Audio
Michael Stellman narrated book one and does another excellent job with book 2.
Shira Anthony puts SO MUCH detail and description into these stories. Her most powerful weapon is her world-building. It is complete, full and gorgeous.
She is not afraid to give our guys their love story and then yank it from their feet a few times before letting them be happy, either.
From book one we know that Teran and Ian have a history far beyond this life-span. This story explores that history.
There are several new characters, Odhran being one – another pirate captain who shows Teran more about his past.
There is an epic – I mean EPIC – battle, some sadness and then some wonder.
If you are a fan of the series you won’t want to miss this installment and follow our Teran and Ian through their adventures.
Audio
Michael Stellman narrated book one and does another excellent job with book 2.
May 8, 2014
I can't even begin to explain all the ahhhhhhhh's, eeeeeee's, and nooooooo's I had in this story. This second book of Ian and Teran is fabulous. The story progresses with their present and past lives amazingly. Odhran is a new character that I just adore.
The ending will make your heart race and jaw drop.
I CANNOT wait for book 3!
The ending will make your heart race and jaw drop.
I CANNOT wait for book 3!
May 18, 2014
Nooooooooooooo cliffhanger!!!! Noooooo. It will kill me wait for the next book!
I loved it
No
I adored it
No
I worship it
This book is so fucking amazing... Now I'm sad... Must wait for more :(
I loved it
No
I adored it
No
I worship it
This book is so fucking amazing... Now I'm sad... Must wait for more :(
May 22, 2014
Wow! Great way to start an exciting book, just at the beginning of a battle at sea. The Phantom has been attacked and Ian and Taren are hot in the middle of it…. During the battle they are separated and Taren ends up on the island they were headed toward, on their quest to find the rune stone. Taren is rescued on the beach by a young boy, Brynn, who claims he can lead Taren to Odhrán, the pirate that may have or at least know where the stone is. Off they go leaving poor Ian behind wondering what’s going on. He’s able to sense through their bond that Taren is alive, but that is about it. Part of me was sad about how much time Taren and Ian spent apart during the first half of the book, but we see them together during Taren’s visions of their previous lives, and memories of their current lives. There is a flashback to a lovely interlude between them early on, that gives us a reminder of how hot they are together in their Ea forms, entwined in the water. I would have liked a bit more of that!
So this is part of a very complex story, the good Ea on the mainland, the bad Ea on their home island, and the humans who may or may not know much about the merfolk. There is magic, and mystery, a dagger, a rune stone, visions, reincarnated souls, ghosts/spirits. All tied in to a big wonderful plot. I read the first book when it came out, I wish I’d read it again before reading this one. There are things I don’t remember as well as I would like. Good things happen, and bad things happen, there’s a big thing at the end that made me cry. We meet Odhrán, at first I was annoyed that he took time and book space away from Ian and Taren, but I got to know him, learned his story, and developed some serious sympathy for him. I think he’s a fabulous addition to the cast and hope we see more of him. I hope he gets some happiness too, he’s got some issues…
This is a hard one to review without giving away plot lines. It was partly character developing, Taren learns lots about his former incarnation, his folks, his life, but not much about the stone that can help anyone. Not much happened to move forward the battle between the two factions of the Ea. It was very focused on Taren, which was just fine, but he spends a lot of time away from Ian, which I was sad to see. I think their bond needs to strengthen a bit. They are very committed, I hear that in their words, but I need to see their love first hand. There was not enough physical expression of their love in this book, it doesn’t have to be erotic, just some sex, cuddling, relaxing. I know…. They had stuff to deal with, but I needed some merman loving!
I enjoyed this book very much and I’m looking forward to more. There is a lot left out there for us to know. There’s got to be a big battle at some point, this book really didn’t get us that much closer. The participants are gathering information, allies, and potentially a weapon. There was certainly some action in this book, a couple of sea battles, but it was more… I can’t find the word. Internal instead of external maybe? Developing Taren as a character more, Ian not so much, Odhrán as well. None of that is a bad thing by any means, but I think I was expecting a bigger story, as I remember the last one being. I also remember a fair amount of sex in Stealing the Wind, not so much in this one.
The writing was great, I’m always amazed that authors who write fantasy can keep track of such big worlds. So many characters, odd names of people and places, maps and directions, rules and myths. It can’t be easy, and Shira does it well. As I said before this is a complex story, she has built a complex world, with complex characters, and a very complex history. If you have read the first book, you’ll like this one, it just expands the story started in the first one. If you haven’t read it, you need to, or you’ll be lost and confused. This is epic fantasy, very well done!
A copy of this book was provided for reviewing. The original review posted at www.lovebytesreviews.com!
So this is part of a very complex story, the good Ea on the mainland, the bad Ea on their home island, and the humans who may or may not know much about the merfolk. There is magic, and mystery, a dagger, a rune stone, visions, reincarnated souls, ghosts/spirits. All tied in to a big wonderful plot. I read the first book when it came out, I wish I’d read it again before reading this one. There are things I don’t remember as well as I would like. Good things happen, and bad things happen, there’s a big thing at the end that made me cry. We meet Odhrán, at first I was annoyed that he took time and book space away from Ian and Taren, but I got to know him, learned his story, and developed some serious sympathy for him. I think he’s a fabulous addition to the cast and hope we see more of him. I hope he gets some happiness too, he’s got some issues…
This is a hard one to review without giving away plot lines. It was partly character developing, Taren learns lots about his former incarnation, his folks, his life, but not much about the stone that can help anyone. Not much happened to move forward the battle between the two factions of the Ea. It was very focused on Taren, which was just fine, but he spends a lot of time away from Ian, which I was sad to see. I think their bond needs to strengthen a bit. They are very committed, I hear that in their words, but I need to see their love first hand. There was not enough physical expression of their love in this book, it doesn’t have to be erotic, just some sex, cuddling, relaxing. I know…. They had stuff to deal with, but I needed some merman loving!
I enjoyed this book very much and I’m looking forward to more. There is a lot left out there for us to know. There’s got to be a big battle at some point, this book really didn’t get us that much closer. The participants are gathering information, allies, and potentially a weapon. There was certainly some action in this book, a couple of sea battles, but it was more… I can’t find the word. Internal instead of external maybe? Developing Taren as a character more, Ian not so much, Odhrán as well. None of that is a bad thing by any means, but I think I was expecting a bigger story, as I remember the last one being. I also remember a fair amount of sex in Stealing the Wind, not so much in this one.
The writing was great, I’m always amazed that authors who write fantasy can keep track of such big worlds. So many characters, odd names of people and places, maps and directions, rules and myths. It can’t be easy, and Shira does it well. As I said before this is a complex story, she has built a complex world, with complex characters, and a very complex history. If you have read the first book, you’ll like this one, it just expands the story started in the first one. If you haven’t read it, you need to, or you’ll be lost and confused. This is epic fantasy, very well done!
A copy of this book was provided for reviewing. The original review posted at www.lovebytesreviews.com!
August 10, 2016
While on a mission to find Odhrán, who Taren believes knows where the rune stone is, Taren, of 'Into the Wind' by Shira Anthony, discovers a lot more than he bargained for. When he encounters Odhrán, he's not what he appears to be, but is most certainly not the evil man his legend portrays him as. He's one of a kind, with a great deal of power and authority. Odhrán is more complex than Taren can comprehend; but if he is to continue his search for the stone, he must follow Odhrán's instructions and hope that what he tells Taren is true.
Taren's attempts to retrieve the stone is plagued with seemingly endless delays, dead ends, and revelations. During the process, Taren discovers a lot about himself and what he's capable of. His dreams and visions continue providing Taren with past experiences from a prior incarnation that he and Ian had together, but also moments from his own past which often cause great conflict and pain, but are also enlightening and encouraging. If he can, Taren wants to change what happens in the future so he and Ian don't end up as their ancestors did. Even though he misses Ian, the separation gives him more independence and provides him with an opportunity to make his own decisions. In many ways, Ian is too protective of him and Taren is feeling the strain. Taren loves Ian, but after being a slave for so long, he refuses to be under anyone else's control. Taren needs to be Ian's equal. It's a matter that must be resolved between them.
Ian is beyond protective of Taren, which is actually a hindrance to his emotional growth. He's plagued by guilt over past events and can't forgive himself. This guilt is a roadblock to their relationship development. His insecurity and jealousy create problems which simply aren't there. Ian's reaction to Odhrán and his motives and intentions about Taren are totally unreasonable. Even with Taren and Ian's relationship with Rider in the past, he's still wary of Rider and worries about what could happen if Rider requires Taren to fulfill the year of indenture which he owes him. Instead of talking with Taren first, he basically makes an ass of himself by giving both of them ultimatums concerning their contact with Taren. Ian even insists that Odhrán leave, choosing his jealous feelings over the fact that he could be a powerful ally. Needless to say, Taren is furious when he finds out. Odhrán knows why Ian dismisses him and leaves without protest, but he also realizes that he will soon need to help them when they are under attack, especially for his magical abilities, something none of them could accomplish by themselves.
There are so many complicated elements in the story that I was almost overwhelmed trying to follow them all. Then, out of seemingly nowhere, Shira began to piece them altogether so expertly that I experienced an aha moment in which many things tumbled into place. There are some sad parts where I lost old friends and shed some tears; but I also gained some fascinating new ones. A lot happens in this sequel and fans of the series simply must read it to continue to cheer Ian and Taren along. To those of you who haven't experienced the series, you may want to join us who have experienced the magic, passion, excitement, heartache, adventure, and struggles, but want to, please start with reading the first book in the series and continue on to this one. You won't be sorry. Thank you, Shira, for this awesome addition to the series.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Taren's attempts to retrieve the stone is plagued with seemingly endless delays, dead ends, and revelations. During the process, Taren discovers a lot about himself and what he's capable of. His dreams and visions continue providing Taren with past experiences from a prior incarnation that he and Ian had together, but also moments from his own past which often cause great conflict and pain, but are also enlightening and encouraging. If he can, Taren wants to change what happens in the future so he and Ian don't end up as their ancestors did. Even though he misses Ian, the separation gives him more independence and provides him with an opportunity to make his own decisions. In many ways, Ian is too protective of him and Taren is feeling the strain. Taren loves Ian, but after being a slave for so long, he refuses to be under anyone else's control. Taren needs to be Ian's equal. It's a matter that must be resolved between them.
Ian is beyond protective of Taren, which is actually a hindrance to his emotional growth. He's plagued by guilt over past events and can't forgive himself. This guilt is a roadblock to their relationship development. His insecurity and jealousy create problems which simply aren't there. Ian's reaction to Odhrán and his motives and intentions about Taren are totally unreasonable. Even with Taren and Ian's relationship with Rider in the past, he's still wary of Rider and worries about what could happen if Rider requires Taren to fulfill the year of indenture which he owes him. Instead of talking with Taren first, he basically makes an ass of himself by giving both of them ultimatums concerning their contact with Taren. Ian even insists that Odhrán leave, choosing his jealous feelings over the fact that he could be a powerful ally. Needless to say, Taren is furious when he finds out. Odhrán knows why Ian dismisses him and leaves without protest, but he also realizes that he will soon need to help them when they are under attack, especially for his magical abilities, something none of them could accomplish by themselves.
There are so many complicated elements in the story that I was almost overwhelmed trying to follow them all. Then, out of seemingly nowhere, Shira began to piece them altogether so expertly that I experienced an aha moment in which many things tumbled into place. There are some sad parts where I lost old friends and shed some tears; but I also gained some fascinating new ones. A lot happens in this sequel and fans of the series simply must read it to continue to cheer Ian and Taren along. To those of you who haven't experienced the series, you may want to join us who have experienced the magic, passion, excitement, heartache, adventure, and struggles, but want to, please start with reading the first book in the series and continue on to this one. You won't be sorry. Thank you, Shira, for this awesome addition to the series.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
May 9, 2014
Jules Lovestoread reviews Into the Wind by Shira Anthony
http://www.mrsconditreadsbooks.com/?p...
REVIEW: : My heart is STILL racing as I am writing this. I literally just finished reading, and jumped immediately into this doc. Into the Wind – book 2 in the Mermen of Ea series by Shira Anthony – completely blew my mind. I requested this book to review as sort of a ‘challenge’ to myself. I had been toying with reading Stealing the Wind (book 1 of the series) for some time, but since it falls out of my normal ‘genre comfort zone’, I had been putting it off. I don’t typically read fantasy, or shifter books; so, maybe I’m the perfect person to be reviewing this…perhaps I can convince some of you to give this amazing series a try.
Shira Anthony is an incredible story teller. The world and the characters that she has created in these books are truly beautiful, and her passion for her subject absolutely shines through in her work. I was entranced from the first chapter of the first book, and the energy never waned. The pace of the story is fantastic, with plenty of action, drama, romance, and many ‘edge of your seat’ moments. And, if you are at all on the fence about whether or not you think mermen can be sexy?? Leave that skepticism at the door. These guys are super sexy! Shira will leave you with ZERO doubts about that.
Into the Wind takes us deeper into the minds and hearts of our two Ea heroes, Taren and Ian, as well as introducing a new character, who everyone will no doubt find as unbelievably fascinating as I did. Odhran is the pirate captain who is thought to be in possession of the rune stone, a stone which is believed to hold great magic, and be the possible salvation of the Ea people. The rumors about the pirate are not flattering, however, leaving Ian shaken when he finds out that Taren has been taken by Odhran and his men. Taren’s time with his ‘captor’ is extremely enlightening, though, and he returns to The Phantom, and to Ian, with his new ally, and with the stone. Ian isn’t as quick to trust as Taren, which leads to some tension between the two.
There are quite a few surprises in the book – and, I obviously don’t want to give away any of the story – but, anyone who has read Stealing the Wind knows that a fight with Seria must somehow come into play here, and I will say that the battle is exciting and nerve-wracking, and that the end of the book is absolutely STUNNING and JAW-DROPPING. I. Was. Blown. Away. And, you will be too.
If you are a fan of the first book, you will love this one even more. And, if you’re thinking about giving the books a try… Do it!! You won’t be disappointed.
I can’t wait for the third book!!!!!!!
http://www.mrsconditreadsbooks.com/?p...
REVIEW: : My heart is STILL racing as I am writing this. I literally just finished reading, and jumped immediately into this doc. Into the Wind – book 2 in the Mermen of Ea series by Shira Anthony – completely blew my mind. I requested this book to review as sort of a ‘challenge’ to myself. I had been toying with reading Stealing the Wind (book 1 of the series) for some time, but since it falls out of my normal ‘genre comfort zone’, I had been putting it off. I don’t typically read fantasy, or shifter books; so, maybe I’m the perfect person to be reviewing this…perhaps I can convince some of you to give this amazing series a try.
Shira Anthony is an incredible story teller. The world and the characters that she has created in these books are truly beautiful, and her passion for her subject absolutely shines through in her work. I was entranced from the first chapter of the first book, and the energy never waned. The pace of the story is fantastic, with plenty of action, drama, romance, and many ‘edge of your seat’ moments. And, if you are at all on the fence about whether or not you think mermen can be sexy?? Leave that skepticism at the door. These guys are super sexy! Shira will leave you with ZERO doubts about that.
Into the Wind takes us deeper into the minds and hearts of our two Ea heroes, Taren and Ian, as well as introducing a new character, who everyone will no doubt find as unbelievably fascinating as I did. Odhran is the pirate captain who is thought to be in possession of the rune stone, a stone which is believed to hold great magic, and be the possible salvation of the Ea people. The rumors about the pirate are not flattering, however, leaving Ian shaken when he finds out that Taren has been taken by Odhran and his men. Taren’s time with his ‘captor’ is extremely enlightening, though, and he returns to The Phantom, and to Ian, with his new ally, and with the stone. Ian isn’t as quick to trust as Taren, which leads to some tension between the two.
There are quite a few surprises in the book – and, I obviously don’t want to give away any of the story – but, anyone who has read Stealing the Wind knows that a fight with Seria must somehow come into play here, and I will say that the battle is exciting and nerve-wracking, and that the end of the book is absolutely STUNNING and JAW-DROPPING. I. Was. Blown. Away. And, you will be too.
If you are a fan of the first book, you will love this one even more. And, if you’re thinking about giving the books a try… Do it!! You won’t be disappointed.
I can’t wait for the third book!!!!!!!
September 28, 2017
2nd Overall Series Re-Read Review 2017:
These mermen just keep getting better and better, I'd say as the cliche goes "third times the charm" but truth is Taren and Ian charmed me from the very beginning. Frankly, I don't know what more I can say about these characters, the universe the author created or the author herself that I haven't said already so I'll just leave it at this: if you thought mermen were something you'd never read about then give it a go because you don't know what you're missing and I am already looking forward to my next revisit to the land(and water) of Ea.
Books #1 & 2
Original Combined Review 2014:
I have to say that I never thought I would get so involved with the characters in a series about merman. I've always been interested in myth and legends but just never once thought about reading a story revolving around merman. But, I love this series! The characters grabbed me from the get go. My heart went out to Taren from the minute his master gave him away in place of his debt. I won't lie that my heart was torn when meeting Ian for the first time but eventually, he too wormed his way into the good side of my heart. I do no spoilers so I'll say no more in regards to the plot.
I will say that I owe my reading this series to some friends and I thank them for the recommendation because I am the first to admit I would probably never have given these titles a second look had it not been for them. Having said that, I mean no negativity towards the author, it's just merman as a fictional topic never would have even crossed my mind. Thankfully, it crossed my friends' minds because without their recommendations, I would have missed some well written story telling.
These mermen just keep getting better and better, I'd say as the cliche goes "third times the charm" but truth is Taren and Ian charmed me from the very beginning. Frankly, I don't know what more I can say about these characters, the universe the author created or the author herself that I haven't said already so I'll just leave it at this: if you thought mermen were something you'd never read about then give it a go because you don't know what you're missing and I am already looking forward to my next revisit to the land(and water) of Ea.
Books #1 & 2
Original Combined Review 2014:
I have to say that I never thought I would get so involved with the characters in a series about merman. I've always been interested in myth and legends but just never once thought about reading a story revolving around merman. But, I love this series! The characters grabbed me from the get go. My heart went out to Taren from the minute his master gave him away in place of his debt. I won't lie that my heart was torn when meeting Ian for the first time but eventually, he too wormed his way into the good side of my heart. I do no spoilers so I'll say no more in regards to the plot.
I will say that I owe my reading this series to some friends and I thank them for the recommendation because I am the first to admit I would probably never have given these titles a second look had it not been for them. Having said that, I mean no negativity towards the author, it's just merman as a fictional topic never would have even crossed my mind. Thankfully, it crossed my friends' minds because without their recommendations, I would have missed some well written story telling.
June 14, 2014
4.75 out of 5
Into the Wind is the second book in the Mermen of Ea trilogy. In this installment, we learn more about Taren's past and how his dreams about Treande and Owyn are connected to him and Ian. Rider and Bastian return to help out in crucial moments. And we are introduced to an intriguing new character, Ohdran.
This is a fast-paced story with intrigue, jealousy, betrayal and grief. I couldn't put it down. Ian is still frustrating at times, but the love between he and Taren is undeniable. The last 10% of the book is just incredible!
There are two themes that came to the foreground for me. One is destiny. Taren and others mention it several times. That the goddess has decided their fates. It's difficult for me to buy into this as I'm a strong believer that the choices you make determine your future. But at the same time, I believe that things happen for a reason.. Perhaps this is what Taren meant.
The other is about acceptance. As powerful as Ohdran is, he was most touched by Taren's acceptance of who he is. Acceptance vs. fear, that's always a struggle. Many are fearful of something or someone different, so we ostracize, banish, bully them. Or we can learn about them so we can acknowledge the difference but accept them for who they are.
It's going to be awhile before the third and final book is here. I cannot wait!!
Into the Wind is the second book in the Mermen of Ea trilogy. In this installment, we learn more about Taren's past and how his dreams about Treande and Owyn are connected to him and Ian. Rider and Bastian return to help out in crucial moments. And we are introduced to an intriguing new character, Ohdran.
This is a fast-paced story with intrigue, jealousy, betrayal and grief. I couldn't put it down. Ian is still frustrating at times, but the love between he and Taren is undeniable. The last 10% of the book is just incredible!
There are two themes that came to the foreground for me. One is destiny. Taren and others mention it several times. That the goddess has decided their fates. It's difficult for me to buy into this as I'm a strong believer that the choices you make determine your future. But at the same time, I believe that things happen for a reason.. Perhaps this is what Taren meant.
The other is about acceptance. As powerful as Ohdran is, he was most touched by Taren's acceptance of who he is. Acceptance vs. fear, that's always a struggle. Many are fearful of something or someone different, so we ostracize, banish, bully them. Or we can learn about them so we can acknowledge the difference but accept them for who they are.
It's going to be awhile before the third and final book is here. I cannot wait!!
May 27, 2014
The book follows on shortly after the first book and is packed with action right from the word go. Taran is forced to confront his past in order to discover his destiny and Ian needs to come to terms with the fact that Taren is not a boy any longer and let him live his life. There are a lot of surprises and also some really sad scenes that left me with a tear in my eye but all in all I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next.
May 25, 2014
This book was an amazing sequel for this wonderful serie
It was so intense, Taren and Ian's journey so unpredictable that it took my breath away...
It was wonderful to meet Odhran, and I can't wait to see what'll be his part in the next book
There were Some heartbreaking twists, that I didn't expect, but this story was so worth the journey. Can't wait to read the last book on this serie.
It was so intense, Taren and Ian's journey so unpredictable that it took my breath away...
It was wonderful to meet Odhran, and I can't wait to see what'll be his part in the next book
There were Some heartbreaking twists, that I didn't expect, but this story was so worth the journey. Can't wait to read the last book on this serie.
July 15, 2015
These are excellent if you like shifters, mermen, and high fantasy.
May 15, 2018
That was one. Long. Book. Reminded me of Sacrati. Nothing wrong with it, but it keeps dragging on and on and on :/
Have to add: The last battle was seriously messed up. I am so angry at Taren, it’s hard to give the book anything but 3 stars. If only he accepted his powers, his control of the wind! The good guys could have won in no time and without any casualties.
But, we needed dragons. In order to do so, the author chose to make Taren dumb and clueless where his own nature is concerned. The deaths of his former lover and captain, as well as other shipmates are all on Taren. It was a huge disappointment for me. Not sure I will continue.
Have to add: The last battle was seriously messed up. I am so angry at Taren, it’s hard to give the book anything but 3 stars. If only he accepted his powers, his control of the wind! The good guys could have won in no time and without any casualties.
But, we needed dragons. In order to do so, the author chose to make Taren dumb and clueless where his own nature is concerned. The deaths of his former lover and captain, as well as other shipmates are all on Taren. It was a huge disappointment for me. Not sure I will continue.
September 11, 2015
I ended my review for book one with the sentence, "I'll continue on with the series, but we better get a lot of explaining in book 2!" Did they deliver? Well... sort of.
Taren has a lot of visions that fill us in on what happened to his parents, what happened to Owen, what happened to Triand after Owen, and in general surrounding the Rune Stone. So in that respect we got a lot more information and we weren't left with so many hanging questions at the end of this book. But I also don't feel like the book progressed the plot at all.
Same as with book one, I actually enjoyed the first half of the book most, which is the part where Taren is off on his own running and around and meeting new characters. In this case, the Dread Pirate Odhrán. While I enjoyed this part of the story and love this new character, it seems like a tangent that shouldn't have taken up so much of the book. As in book 1 when Taren and Ian are finally reunited I am a bit underwhelmed. I hear them talk about being soul-bound and I believe their undying love for each other, but I don't feel it. It doesn't make me cry with sadness or ache with longing or laugh with joy. It just is. And I actually fast forwarded through the sex scenes. There's nothing wrong with them, they just don't do anything for me and I wanted to get back to the plot. Blasphemous, I know.
This book focuses more on Taren's quest to find himself and learn his purpose, as opposed to the romance, and I actually like that choice. I started getting a little annoyed at his obliviousness to his growing powers and reluctance to use them in battle when it would have helped . And as with the off-topic Odhrán, the last chapter again felt random and unrelated. Yes, it's interesting, but I don't think the book should end focusing on someone other than Ian and Taren. I wasn't surprised by this new revelation, , but did feel it was an obvious attempt to fuck with my emotions at the end of the book and pull me back to continue with book 3.
While I think the secondary characters in this series are wonderful, and I like their strong contribution to the plot, I feel as if it either needs to be less or more. They're lives as of yet haven't been quite connected enough to the Ea for their stories to be interwoven, but if this is to be a romance series then their presence takes away some. Maybe getting their POV's would be helpful in this feeling more well-rounded.
I'm not sure where things will go from here, or how they'll be wrapped up. Despite my complaints, this is an interesting series and I plan to continue with it. The audio version is good. I don't have any issues with the narration or pacing, I think either reading or listening is a good option if you're interested in this series.
Received audio from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
Taren has a lot of visions that fill us in on what happened to his parents, what happened to Owen, what happened to Triand after Owen, and in general surrounding the Rune Stone. So in that respect we got a lot more information and we weren't left with so many hanging questions at the end of this book. But I also don't feel like the book progressed the plot at all.
Same as with book one, I actually enjoyed the first half of the book most, which is the part where Taren is off on his own running and around and meeting new characters. In this case, the Dread Pirate Odhrán. While I enjoyed this part of the story and love this new character, it seems like a tangent that shouldn't have taken up so much of the book. As in book 1 when Taren and Ian are finally reunited I am a bit underwhelmed. I hear them talk about being soul-bound and I believe their undying love for each other, but I don't feel it. It doesn't make me cry with sadness or ache with longing or laugh with joy. It just is. And I actually fast forwarded through the sex scenes. There's nothing wrong with them, they just don't do anything for me and I wanted to get back to the plot. Blasphemous, I know.
This book focuses more on Taren's quest to find himself and learn his purpose, as opposed to the romance, and I actually like that choice. I started getting a little annoyed at his obliviousness to his growing powers and reluctance to use them in battle when it would have helped . And as with the off-topic Odhrán, the last chapter again felt random and unrelated. Yes, it's interesting, but I don't think the book should end focusing on someone other than Ian and Taren. I wasn't surprised by this new revelation, , but did feel it was an obvious attempt to fuck with my emotions at the end of the book and pull me back to continue with book 3.
While I think the secondary characters in this series are wonderful, and I like their strong contribution to the plot, I feel as if it either needs to be less or more. They're lives as of yet haven't been quite connected enough to the Ea for their stories to be interwoven, but if this is to be a romance series then their presence takes away some. Maybe getting their POV's would be helpful in this feeling more well-rounded.
I'm not sure where things will go from here, or how they'll be wrapped up. Despite my complaints, this is an interesting series and I plan to continue with it. The audio version is good. I don't have any issues with the narration or pacing, I think either reading or listening is a good option if you're interested in this series.
Received audio from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
April 26, 2017
Better than the first!
Taren faces danger, loss & grief while still struggling to let go of what he thought he was, a human slave. Now he must find who he is while Ian struggles with letting him.
The writing is beautifully descriptive. You can feel the ocean breeze and see the sunrise that adds to the setting while not overpowering the narrative.
While I cried both in joy & pain while reading this and am so looking forward to the next, I cannot give it a full five stars because of one very clunky transition from vision/memory to reality. All the other transitions were handled well & I understand what the author was trying to do with this one being shared, but I was thrown out of the story suddenly which ruined the emotions the scene should have evoked.
This is a fantastic story about magic, mermen, pirates, friendship and love. Read it, you will not regret it!
Taren faces danger, loss & grief while still struggling to let go of what he thought he was, a human slave. Now he must find who he is while Ian struggles with letting him.
The writing is beautifully descriptive. You can feel the ocean breeze and see the sunrise that adds to the setting while not overpowering the narrative.
While I cried both in joy & pain while reading this and am so looking forward to the next, I cannot give it a full five stars because of one very clunky transition from vision/memory to reality. All the other transitions were handled well & I understand what the author was trying to do with this one being shared, but I was thrown out of the story suddenly which ruined the emotions the scene should have evoked.
This is a fantastic story about magic, mermen, pirates, friendship and love. Read it, you will not regret it!
June 29, 2014
Les Tritons d'Ea : Livre 2 - VO
Depuis qu'il a connaissance de son patrimoine de shifter Triton, Taren commence à se construire une vie avec Ian Dunaidh près du continent EA. Mais les souvenirs de sa vie passée le hantent encore, et comme la menace d'une guerre contre l'ile hostile abritant ces tritons se rapproche de plus en plus, Taren a peur de perdre Ian de la même manière qu'il a perdu son bienaimé des siècles auparavant. Ensemble, ils naviguent vers les iles de la Passerelle à la recherche de la légendaire pierre de rune - une arme d'une grande puissance et dont les EA croient qu'elle va les protéger - et vers Odhran, le pirate dont la rumeur dit qu'il la possède.
Après que des humains aient attaqué le Phantom, Taren se retrouve échoué sur une ile, face à un mystérieux garçon nommé Brynn qui lui promet de le conduire à Odhran. Mais Taren n'est pas sûr de pouvoir faire confiance à Brynn, et la rumeur veut qu'Odhran soit prêt à asservir EA pour protéger son fief. Taren devra mettre sa vie en jeu pour trouver son chemin de retour vers Ian et tenter de récupérer la pierre. Même s'il la trouve, ses problèmes sont loin d'être terminés : lui et Ian sont harcelés par un ennemi qui veut leur mort à tout prix.
Ce livre tient toutes les promesses du premier tome et même plus encore. Nous retrouvons Taren, tout juste conscient de sa nouvelle nature qui ne cesse d'évoluer pour devenir bien plus encore que ce qu'il pouvait imaginer. Aidé de plusieurs personnes, il devra apprendre à faire face au destin que la Déesse elle-même a programmé pour lui, quitte à se laisser emporter vers des rivages lointains, à prendre des décisions qui ne sont pas toujours bonnes, ni sans conséquences pour lui comme pour ceux qui l'aiment. Mais, ces voyages vont lui permettre également d'acquérir de l'expérience et de faire de nouvelles rencontres, malgré le spectre omniprésent de la guerre civile qui couve entre les EA de l'Ile et ceux du continent.
Taren et Ian vont devoir affronter une magie, elle aussi, omniprésente, des vies antérieures lourdes de conséquences et retrouver d'anciens amis afin de les aider dans leur quête, sans oublier qu'ils vont également faire de nouvelles rencontres avec des personnages hauts en couleur, accepter des situations qui peuvent sembler sombres mais se révéler sous un nouveau jour...
Shira Anthony nous entraîne dans une suite d'aventures, aux côtés de Taren et de Ian, qui laisse peu de répit au lecteur, l'entraînant toujours plus loin, lui faisant rencontrer des personnages plus attachants les uns que les autres alors que le mystère s'épaissit et que la guerre gronde. Et, vous ne pouvez pas poser le livre avant d'arriver à la fin et là... Vous restez frustrés d'avoir à attendre la suite avec impatience.
Je recommande fortement ce livre à tous les amoureux de fantaisy puisqu'il réunit tout un monde merveilleux malgré un avenir sombre, et je suis vraiment impatiente de lire la suite.
Bravo, Shira !
Depuis qu'il a connaissance de son patrimoine de shifter Triton, Taren commence à se construire une vie avec Ian Dunaidh près du continent EA. Mais les souvenirs de sa vie passée le hantent encore, et comme la menace d'une guerre contre l'ile hostile abritant ces tritons se rapproche de plus en plus, Taren a peur de perdre Ian de la même manière qu'il a perdu son bienaimé des siècles auparavant. Ensemble, ils naviguent vers les iles de la Passerelle à la recherche de la légendaire pierre de rune - une arme d'une grande puissance et dont les EA croient qu'elle va les protéger - et vers Odhran, le pirate dont la rumeur dit qu'il la possède.
Après que des humains aient attaqué le Phantom, Taren se retrouve échoué sur une ile, face à un mystérieux garçon nommé Brynn qui lui promet de le conduire à Odhran. Mais Taren n'est pas sûr de pouvoir faire confiance à Brynn, et la rumeur veut qu'Odhran soit prêt à asservir EA pour protéger son fief. Taren devra mettre sa vie en jeu pour trouver son chemin de retour vers Ian et tenter de récupérer la pierre. Même s'il la trouve, ses problèmes sont loin d'être terminés : lui et Ian sont harcelés par un ennemi qui veut leur mort à tout prix.
Ce livre tient toutes les promesses du premier tome et même plus encore. Nous retrouvons Taren, tout juste conscient de sa nouvelle nature qui ne cesse d'évoluer pour devenir bien plus encore que ce qu'il pouvait imaginer. Aidé de plusieurs personnes, il devra apprendre à faire face au destin que la Déesse elle-même a programmé pour lui, quitte à se laisser emporter vers des rivages lointains, à prendre des décisions qui ne sont pas toujours bonnes, ni sans conséquences pour lui comme pour ceux qui l'aiment. Mais, ces voyages vont lui permettre également d'acquérir de l'expérience et de faire de nouvelles rencontres, malgré le spectre omniprésent de la guerre civile qui couve entre les EA de l'Ile et ceux du continent.
Taren et Ian vont devoir affronter une magie, elle aussi, omniprésente, des vies antérieures lourdes de conséquences et retrouver d'anciens amis afin de les aider dans leur quête, sans oublier qu'ils vont également faire de nouvelles rencontres avec des personnages hauts en couleur, accepter des situations qui peuvent sembler sombres mais se révéler sous un nouveau jour...
Shira Anthony nous entraîne dans une suite d'aventures, aux côtés de Taren et de Ian, qui laisse peu de répit au lecteur, l'entraînant toujours plus loin, lui faisant rencontrer des personnages plus attachants les uns que les autres alors que le mystère s'épaissit et que la guerre gronde. Et, vous ne pouvez pas poser le livre avant d'arriver à la fin et là... Vous restez frustrés d'avoir à attendre la suite avec impatience.
Je recommande fortement ce livre à tous les amoureux de fantaisy puisqu'il réunit tout un monde merveilleux malgré un avenir sombre, et je suis vraiment impatiente de lire la suite.
Bravo, Shira !
June 23, 2015
I love when a series manages to surprise me with great characters and wonderful worldbuilding. This series is addictive and I had no idea how good it would be. I had read one mermen story that was just 'meh' and didn't really work for me. This is top-notch fantasy and everything works for me. I did guess a few of the twists, but there are so many layers to the story that it does not matter if I anticipate a few thing, I will always have surprises and won't ever be sure where exactly the voyage will go. There is Magic, Love, Emotion, Hot Sex, Adventure, Loss, Betrayal, ... everything I need to be happy <3
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